Just wondering if any of you know any good websites where I can purchase a thousand armed Guan Yin statue along with Moonlight and Sunlight Bodhisattva? I've been checking ebay and the sorts, but nothing relatively good is showing up.

It is best to obtain a statue or image of a Buddha or Bodhisattva at a Buddhist temple, in person. Great if you could ask a monk or nun to empower/bless the statue or image so that it won't be as easily occupied by some spirit/ghost/other lifeform being.

For a statue or image of a Buddha or Bodhisattva to be proper, the dimensions and other details should be in accordance with sutra.

Once you have brought home the statue or image, the place that you put it (preferably a Buddhist altar) should best be prepared in a special way, e.g. cleansing with Great Compassionate Dharani/water. If unsure, ask a monk or nun to come do it at your place for you, if possible and practical.

Now this is from what I have learned in Chinese Buddhism. The proper practice in your tradition might vary.

Kaji wrote:It is best to obtain a statue or image of a Buddha or Bodhisattva at a Buddhist temple, in person. Great if you could ask a monk or nun to empower/bless the statue or image so that it won't be as easily occupied by some spirit/ghost/other lifeform being.

For a statue or image of a Buddha or Bodhisattva to be proper, the dimensions and other details should be in accordance with sutra.

Once you have brought home the statue or image, the place that you put it (preferably a Buddhist altar) should best be prepared in a special way, e.g. cleansing with Great Compassionate Dharani/water. If unsure, ask a monk or nun to come do it at your place for you, if possible and practical.

Now this is from what I have learned in Chinese Buddhism. The proper practice in your tradition might vary.

I have heard people mention the whole 'spirits/ghost' dwelling in a statue to receive offerings, but to be frank--why not just let them? The purpose of having an image is for devotion and to show respect towards the Buddha's and Bodhisattvas. If living beings can benefit from my offerings, then why not, right? Buddha's and Bodhisattva's don't sit there and gobble up our offerings, why not actually let a being that can benefit from offerings.. benefit from it? Remember the purpose to have an image of the Buddha or Bodhisattva is to inspire respect and devotion within the practitioner.

Thank you for the link, but the statues are so small... I was hoping for a larger Thousand Guan Yin statue. But that style is exactly what I was looking for. I'm re-doing my altar right now, so I wanted to have a Thousand Armed Guan Yin Bodhisattva, along with the pure land sages and Puxian Pu Sa and Wen Shu Pu Sa as well.

remm wrote:I have heard people mention the whole 'spirits/ghost' dwelling in a statue to receive offerings, but to be frank--why not just let them? The purpose of having an image is for devotion and to show respect towards the Buddha's and Bodhisattvas. If living beings can benefit from my offerings, then why not, right? Buddha's and Bodhisattva's don't sit there and gobble up our offerings, why not actually let a being that can benefit from offerings.. benefit from it? Remember the purpose to have an image of the Buddha or Bodhisattva is to inspire respect and devotion within the practitioner.

I have thought about that. I have also read stuff about it. A practitioner should strive to have the Buddha or Bodhisattva in his/her heart. The notion of the Dharma body should also be understood: it is everywhere. A statue or image of the Buddha or Bodhisattva serves as a reminder, which is really helpful for a beginner but maybe not as much for an experienced and ardent practitioner.

With the spirit/ghost dwelling in a statue or image to receive offerings, personally I prefer not to offer them the chance to do that. I do not want to encourage them to commit the act of taking what is not given. I would prefer them to use the statue or image in the proper way, that is, as a reminder and inspiration to practise Buddhism.

If I want to making offerings to spirits and ghosts, I would do it specifically with preta-dana practice, which I did in the past until my recent family incident.

With the spirit/ghost dwelling in a statue or image to receive offerings, personally I prefer not to offer them the chance to do that. I do not want to encourage them to commit the act of taking what is not given. I would prefer them to use the statue or image in the proper way, that is, as a reminder and inspiration to practise Buddhism.